Let him know, that he which converteth (turns) the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins – James 5:20.

There has been a disagreement among the Christian community about whether or not a person can lose their salvation, but it’s one thing for sure: whether one believes he or she can’t lose salvation if they continue to practice sin without repentance, they’re jeopardizing their relationship with God and entrance to heaven, and the next place will be hell.

They may be saved from receiving the recompense of their sins during their lifetime, but the Word of God has promised no sin will enter into heaven (But the fearful [cowardly], and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death – Revelations 21:8).

Sin carries a penalty with it whether one is professing to be a Christian or not (For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord-Romans 6:23).  Many attend churches to hear “a bless me message,” and sad to say that’s what many are teaching these days rather than informing people those who practice sin will have to answer to God in this life or when His Son returns with wrath for the nonbelievers as well as those who attend church and continually practice sin.

The written Word of God is for the believer; it’s for those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, along with allowing Him to be their Lord. Some Christians take a portion of salvation and leave the Lord out of their lives, which makes them carnal Christians.

It doesn’t mean they didn’t receive salvation; they didn’t take and receive the complete package of salvation. Unbelievers and practicing sinners are not going to follow the instructions of the Bible. As a matter of fact, they will not read the Bible to see what the instructions are.

James’ instructions were for Christians who have seen their fellow brother or sister become a backslider. It’s for us to meet the person where they are and bring them back to God. We can’t save anyone, but we can live a life that will allow God to manifest Himself through us to them. We can restore people back to God by loving them as God loves us.

When a sister or brother is practicing sin, it’s not the time to tell them they’re going to hell, especially if it’s one that doesn’t believe they can’t lose their salvation. Apostle Paul wasn’t speaking about salvation when he instructed the believer the wages of sin is death. He wasn’t talking to the sinner; he was talking to the believer!

Spiritual death is just as bad as the death of a nonbeliever. Spiritual death goes to hell, just like the nonbeliever. One of the reasons that caused Adam and Eve to lose fellowship with God and get exiled from the Garden of Eden was because of their disobedience. Disobedience to the Word of God will cause spiritual death.

Why would one play spiritual Russian roulette with their life? God is not a man that He shall lie. As He has spoken it, so shall it be. God doesn’t want anyone to enter into Hell; one of the reasons He sent His Son to die for the sins of the world and to reconcile them back to God. Millions of people are dying daily, and sadly, the majority of them are not entering heaven.

When the saints die, it is precious in His sight (Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints – Proverbs 116:15). Because the saints are going to be with Him, but the wicked and the carnal Christians are enemies of God (Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God – Romans 8:7-8). So, if one is not pleasing God, they will not enter into heaven, but hell.

In this dispensation, there is a generation that doesn’t know God or His Son. They are righteous in their own eyes (There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness – Proverbs 30:12). It is important for Christians to ask God to assign them to children, teenagers, and young adults so that this generation will not be lost.

Jesus didn’t die so that we could continually practice sin. His instructions to the believer is to stop living as a non-believer (Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you-2nd Corinthians 6:17). We can’t live according to the world’s standards and actions and have a relationship with God it doesn’t work that way.

Either we are going to worship and serve God in spirit and in truth, or we will continually serve Satan and reject the instructions of God’s written Word and convert others to live as non-Christians, although they profess to be Christians.

You can tell if someone really is a Christian. First, you will know them by the Fruit of the Spirit or the lust of their flesh. Whoever they are serving will manifest even when they are quoting Scriptures. God’s Spirit bears witness to our spirit that we are His, and our spirit bears witness to other people’s spirit, whether they are Christians or carnal Christians. A carnal Christian is just as bad as a non-believer in the eyes of God.

None of us can live life without sin. Christians don’t practice sin, and when they do sin, they repent quickly. Our submission is to God, and He enables us through His Son to live a life that will be pleasing to Him. Our part is to participate in daily prayer, reading and studying His Word, applying what we read to our daily lives, and the Father will continue to sanctify us and continue to create us in the image of Him and His Son.

If you say you are a Christian, then live like one. Don’t confuse or mislead others into living a carnal lifestyle because of what they see in you.